Stellenbosch on Foot

Stellenbosch

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Activity Description

Explore the “village of the oaks" with its shady oak avenues bordered by the water furrows of the Mill Stream. Admire the charm and harmony of the Cape Dutch Architecture and listen to tales about the colorful inhabitants of three centuries.

Discover where Simon van der Stel set up camp in the Eerste River and why it is called the Eerste River. Perhaps you will meet an angel at the “Angel Factory” or a ghost in the graveyard of the ”Moederkerk”.

Three fires destroyed the village. Where did the fire of 1710 start and who started it? The first Christian Church building in South Africa was in Stellenbosch not in Cape Town. Today it is the site of the oldest hotel in South Africa, d’Ouwe Werf and not all the graves have been moved!

Dorp Street, “the wagon way to Cape Town” is the oldest residential street in South Africa today. It is still the wagon way to Cape Town, only the wagons have changed somewhat!

Historical buildings surround three sides of The Braak (village green) During the 1809 and 1811 earth tremor, people rushed out of their houses onto the Braak. The Braak was already proclaimed by Simon van der Stel, the eleventh governor, as an open space for the people and as a military parade ground.

Stellenbosch University has produced many famous South Africans – Prime Ministers and Sportsmen. Rugby and cricket was played on the Braak. Stellenbosch, synonymous with rugby, but the first Stellenbosch Springbok – Nico Theunissen – was a cricketer.

In 1602 the VOC was established by the Here Sewentien. Four hundred years later the “Kruithuis” on the Braak proudly flies the flag of the VOC.

Rhenish Institute, the oldest girl’s boarding school in South Africa celebrated 150 years in 2010. Rhenish was the first school to teach Domestic Science and Needlework.

Arrangements

Duration1 hour 30 minutes

WhenSeven days a week, all-year round, subject to availability. Closed on Christmas, Good Friday and New Year's Day.

WhereStellenbosch Information Centre

WeatherThe tour is not subject to the weather.

What to WearComfortable shoes and weather appropriate clothes for the day.

Notes

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Customer Reviews

We booked walking tour before arriving in SA via Trip Advisor. Our guide was ready and on time at the starting point and we really enjoyed walking around Stellenbosch with him and learning about the history of the town. Very knowledgeable, informative and charming guide. Thank you. -Rita Antoniou

You have a beautiful city. We enjoyed getting to know it.
The guide was knowledgeable and we guessed that she is a professor.
Unfortunately timing was not her forte. When an hour had passed and we were still in sight of headquarters, we knew we were in trouble. We had to abandon the talk due to time constraints.
On a humorous note, we passed a sculpture; without humour she stated, “ this is art.” -Jane Crist

The walking tour is a great way to get to know Stellenbosch and it's rich and interesting history.
Our family group was 9 people and our guide Johan brought the town to "life" for each member .
Memorable
-Nigel Mc Dermott

The City walk was very nice. It gave us, as a family, an insight to the history of the city as well as the country. Would very much recommend the tour for anyone visiting the city of Stellenbosch -Holm

This was a thoroughly enjoyable tour! All six of us (ranging in age from 16-50+) found the information, history and anecdotes to be very engaging. Our guide was terrific and really easy going. I would highly recommend this leisurely and interesting experience! -Danica Murphy